Women in the Arts & Media Coalition Hosts 'VintAge' Tonight at MIST Harlem

The Women in the Arts & Media Coalition is producing VintAge, one of its two Signature Events, supporting the voice and vision of women in the arts & media as they age, tonight, October 18, from 1-5:30 p.m. at MIST Harlem.

The 1st Elsa Rael VintAge Award Winner for advocacy for women in the arts & media as they age will be presented to Morgan Jenness, dramaturg & agent, for spearheading the cause célèbre that has protected Maria Irene Fornes and her playwriting work in her elder years. The award will be presented by Tisa Chang, artistic director of Pan Asian Rep. There will also be pre-taped personal statements made about Elsa Rael and the importance of celebrating women in the arts and media as they age by Estelle Parsons and Gretchen Cryer.

It will be an afternoon both entertaining and illuminating, beginning with the new documentary ADVANCED STYLE by Lina Plyoplyte, the story behind the fashion blog which became an international phenomenon (70 minutes); and JUST THE THREE OF US, a short film by Angela Tucker starring Leslie Uggams (15 minutes).

Following will be a panel on breakthroughs and issues of women aging in the arts and media moderated by Isa Goldberg, President of the Drama Desk; panelists include Barbara Davis, COO of the Actors Fund, Liz Rosenberg, poet/novelist; Yvonne Curry, choreographer/director, and more.

The award presentation will then be followed by a reception and networking. Hosts for the day will be Co-Presidents of the Coalition, Shellen Lubin and Avis Boone.

A limited number of tickets to VintAge are available to the public. Ticket prices are: $15 for members of any of the Coalition's member organizations / $30 for non-members (early bird rate now extended through October 14), $20 for members after October 14; $40 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased online at www.womenartsmediacoalition.bpt.me/ or http://bpt.me/880439. Checks can also be sent directly to the Coalition.

For the first VintAge in 2001, Elsa Rael, then Co-President of the Coalition, wrote: "VintAge was conceived to encourage awareness of the effects of unemployment due to aging on the individual, as well as the resultant loss of talent and experience to the arts and media communities and the incalculable loss to the general public."

Hillary Rodham Clinton, then a U.S. Senator from New York, wrote for that first program: "My hope for every woman in the 21st Century is that she will be blessed with choice and empowered with the tools of opportunity to make the most of her God-given talents. She will be free to pursue her own vision in the world of work, in the public sphere, in the political process and to build loving and strong families at home. Her voice will be heard; her concerns will be followed."

Celebrants at past VintAge events have included Lainie Kazan, Phyllis Newman, Tina Howe, Marian Seldes, Lynn Ahrens, Anita Gillette, and Lesley Gore.

VintAge is co-sponsored by NYWIFT (New York Women in Film and Television), SAG-AFTRA, the Dramatists Guild, and the League of Professional Theatre Women. All four of these organizations are members of the Women in the Arts & Media Coalition.

Women in the Arts & Media Coalition, Inc. is a non-profit organization, which represents more than 80,000 women and men in the performing arts and media through its member organizations and affiliates. The Coalition focuses the power of its member organizations and their memberships together and uses the combined strength to address issues of concern through advocacy, networking, and educational events. Member organizations are: Actors' Equity Association, Dramatists Guild of America, League of Professional Theatre Women, SAG-AFTRA New York Local, Stage Directors and Choreographers, New York Women in Film & Television, and the Writers Guild of America, East. Affiliate organizations are: WomenArts, Women's Media Center, Women Make Movies, Works by Women, Drama Desk, Dancers Over 40, The Lambs, Inc., The Rehearsal Club, and Professional Women Singers Association. For more information on the Coalition, visit www.womenartsmediacoalition.org.

MIST Harlem is located at 46 West 116th Street, in the heart of central Harlem, steps from the IRT #2 and #3 train. MIST Harlem is guided by the essential philosophy of using select environmentally sustainable materials which minimize consumption of resources, improve air quality, reduce energy consumption, preserve resources for future generations while providing an inviting and compelling, contemporary space. Largely hired from the Harlem community and beyond, staff is cross-trained in hospitality, efficient operations, marketing and promotions and technical production services to develop a team that excels in customer service, cultural resonance and community engagement. MIST offers a unique, dining and entertainment experience in an environmentally responsible, inviting and compelling, contemporary setting.

Watch Estelle Parsons talk about VintAge below!